A Tidbit of A Suz Day

Crown of Thorns

Recently I seized the opportunity to get a photo of raindrops on the leaves of a plant – our Crown of Thorns plant.

Most photographers seem to have such a picture in their portfolios.

One day, I hope to take another such photo that also captures rainbow colours sparkling in the raindrops/dewdrops on a plant leaf. Such a photo would be an amazing shot for me.

We have a few Crown of Thorns plants (Euphorbia milii) growing in our home.

These plants are also known as Christ plants or Christ thorns … in reference to a legend associating them with the crown of thorns placed on Christ’s head at the crucifixion.

Crown of Thorns belong to the same family as the poinsettia. They are thorny, woody succulents that bloom almost all year round.

As succulents, they store water in their thick stems just like cactus. They therefore require well drained soil and little watering. Crown of Thorns are very easy to grow and care; they however, need much sunlight to begin flowering.The Crown of Thorns’ flowers range in color … from deep red to white to multi-color; and in size … from tiny, to one-half inch. These plants can grow up to seven foot tall.Since the Crown of Thorns plant belong to the Euphorbia family, it is a mild poison. Its milky white sap is toxic and can irritate your skin, eyes and mouth. * Should the sap come in contact with eyes, wash with running water and see a doctor.

It is also advised that gardeners not plant Crown of Thorns near a fish pond since the exudate from broken roots will kill the fish.